Metal space plate especially for drycleaning presses

ABSTRACT

In order to prevent deterioration of the rubber pads of the steam presses of the type which are especially useful in the drycleaning industry, a porous spacer plate is provided for insertion between the block of the press and the rubber pad, the spacer plate being constructed so as to be undistorted by the pressures transmitted through the rubber pad.

United States Patent Zeidler 1 Jan. 18, 1972 METAL SPACE PLATE ESPECIALLY 1 References it FOR DRYCLEANING PRESSES UNITED STATES PATENTS Inventor: Harold 0 i Brevoon Laney y Diener NIY 10580 3,4l6,246 12/1968 Terry Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson [22] Flled' 1970 Attorney-Greene & Durr [Zl] Appl. No.: 11,519 [57] ABSTRACT In order to prevent deterioration of the rubber pads of the 2 i steam presses of the type which are especially useful in the :2 g drycleaning industry, a porous spacer plate is provided for in- 58] Fieid 3 8/66 140 sertion between the block of the press and the rubber pad, the

spacer plate being constructed so as to be undistorted by the pressures transmitted through the rubber pad.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Top Fobric Sponge Rubber Gloss or Asbestos Fibers Asbestos Fabric 25 Wire Gauze 23 Heavy Mesh 2| 2 Rods PATENIEDmvamz 3,534 957 Fl I Tap Fabric Sponge Rubber Glass or Asbesios Fibers Asbestos Fabric Wire Gauze 23 Heavy Mesh 2| Rods Glass Fiber Asbesto Fabric Wire Gauze Heavy Mesh Rods INVENTOR Harold O. Zeidler ATTORNEYS METAL SPACE PLATE ESPECIALLY FOR DRYCLEANING PRESSES This invention relates to presses used for ironing fabrics and garments which are heated with steam, usually live steam, and are fitted with compressible elastomeric pads, such as those made of foam rubber, for example.

Presses for ironing fabrics or garments have a buck or lower member and a head or upper member between which the garment is pressed and which are ordinarily either spring padded or rubber padded. The present invention is primarily concerned with the bucks, although it may also be applied to the heads of such presses. Whereas the rubber-padded presses have some advantages over spring-padded presses, they have the disadvantage that the rubber pads degrade, in a relatively short time, and have to be replaced frequently. It has been found that the rubber pad starts to deteriorate first at the side nearest the hot metal block of the buck, to which it is attached. As the rubber deteriorates, it becomes more resistant to the passage of steam therethrough, and the efficiency and production of the press is gradually reduced until the rubber pad is replaced. To overcome this defect, protecting layers of asbestos fabric, and/or fiberglass, or asbestos fibers, have been inserted between the hot metal block of the buck and the rubber pad, and while these measures continue to be used, the rubber pads still deteriorate and the output decreases fairly rapidly. Presses used in drycleaning establishments are usually foam rubber padded.

The invention is based discovery that the life of a rubber pad, especially the one in the buck of a steam press, can be significantly increased by the insertion of a porous spacer plate between the metal block of the buck and the rubber pad. This porous spacer plate must be constructed so that it will not buckle and so that its distortion, if any, will be insufficient to carry through to top surface of the rubber pad, under the pressure applied during the pressing operation.

While I do not wish to be restricted to any theory as to why the addition of the spacer plate increases the life of the rubber pad (it usually more than doubles such life) over constructions which already contain asbestos or fiberglass layers to insulate the pad from direct contact with the heated blocks, I believe it may be explained as follows. It is generally accepted that rubber, and especially synthetic rubbers, tend to oxidize and/or further polymerize under the influence of heat, to produce a brittle, crumbly end product. Once a pressing buck is heated at the beginning of a working day, it is kept in heated condition continuously the remainder of the day. Whereas the insulating layer or layers of fibers slow up the conduction of heat from the hot metal buck block to the rubber pad, over a long period of time, the insulating fibers themselves, being in direct contact with the hot block, become heated, and thereby heat the rubber pad. In the usual pressing operation, a final finishing step is to connect the steam passages of the buck to a source of vacuum which draws out any moisture left in the material being pressed. This vacuum treatment has a heat-absorbing effect and leaves a layer of relatively cool air in the openings or pores of the spacer plate which is added according to the present invention, thereby preventing the hot block of the buck from continuously subjecting the insulating fibers and the rubber pad to high temperatures.

Among the objects of the invention, therefore, is to provide a rubber-padded, steamheated press, of such construction to significantly increase the life of the rubber pad.

Among other objects of the invention is to provide a spacer plate for a rubber-padded, steam-heated press which can readily be inserted in press to increase the life of the rubber pad.

The spacer plate of the invention preferably comprises a heavy wire mesh, formed of relatively heavy galvanized wire having square openings therein of about one-eighth to threeeighth inch on a side and formed of about 1 to 2 mm. in diameter. A perforated plate of equivalent resistance to compression can be substituted for the wire mesh. The heavy wire mesh is reinforced on the side next to the block of the buck with 3 or more symmetrically positioned heavy metal rods 2 to 4 mm. in diameter and 1-2 inch apart and said wire mesh (or perforated plate) has its opposite surface covered with screening wire. Preferably, the edges of the heavy wire mesh are covered with a U-shaped metal band which also reinforces the border. The entire assemblage is curved to suit the curvature, if any, of the metal block over which it fits, and is cut to cover substantially the entire surface of said block. The only parts of the spacer device in contact with the central heated portion of the buck are the heavy metal rods which make line contact with the buck. The combination of the reinforcing rods, the heavy wire mesh (or perforated plate) and the screening wire provides a strong and very porous spacer which will not buckle under high loads, the individual wire components of which will not break, and which does not have any large openings adjacent the insulating or rubber foam layer into which any substantial part of the foam rubber or insulating layer will project when pressure is applied.

The pad of the invention may be of any conventional type, such as those made of foamed or expanded synthetic or natural rubber or mixtures thereof, and may be identified by the term compressible elastomeric material."

Other and more detailed objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification and appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a typical buck which has been cut away to show the padding, spacer means, parts of the latter, etc.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing only spacer plate.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view taken on line 44 of FIG. 1.

To illustrate theinvention, a relatively small buck and pad has been shown in the drawing, the device illustrated being about 10 inches long and,4 inches wide at its widest part. It will be realized, however, that the invention applies to all sizes of bucks, and spacer plates of this type have been incorporated into the bucks of a large pressing machine, about 4-5 feet long, for example.

The block 10 of the buck shown, hasa convex upper surface 11 and contains one or more openings 12 for feeding steam to the fabric material being pressed between this buck and its matching upper buck (not shown). Normally, such a buck of the rubber-padded type will include a layer of heat-resistant fabric 13, a layer 14 of insulating fibers, (glass, wool, asbestos, mineral wool fibers, for example); a foam or sponge rubber pad 15 and a covering fabric 16. The lower fabric l3 and upper fabric 16 can extend somewhat below the rubber pad 15 and be secured around the edges of the metal block 10. The rubber pad 15 has open cells 20 that steam can pass through.

The essential parts of the spacer plate 20 are the relatively heavy wire mesh 21, or an equivalent perforated plate, the longitudinal reinforcing rods 22 (three are shown), which are symmetrically positioned and the wire gauze 23. The rods 22 can be suitably attached to the mesh 21 by means of brackets 24, as shown in FIG. 4. The wire gauze 23 can be attached to the wire mesh 21 by means of staples 25. A U-shaped metal border 26 may be provided to cover the edges of the wire mesh 21. The various parts can also be connected to the wire mesh 21 by soldering or welding, or by any other mechanical means or other adhesives of uniting compositions.

As stated above, the spacer plate 20 provides an airspace between the block 10 of the buck and the foam rubber pad. Not much heat is conducted to the spacer plate as a whole, because the only contact with the heated central portion of the buck is the line contact between the bucks and the rods 22. Once the press is heated for use, the block.l0 remains hot until the press is turned oft". If desired, one or both of the fabric 13, and insulating layer 13, can be eliminated when the spacer plate 20 is added, but the spacing plate 20 of the invention can as easily be incorporated into the whole assembly of the existing types or rubber-padded bucks without removing any layer or covering parts. Ordinarily, in a press which is used 8-l2 hours per day, the foam rubber pad has to be replaced approximately every 3 months or so. As the pad deteriorates, production is lost as the foam rubber becomes dense, the live steam cannot penetrate the foam as readily as when it was new; conversely, the vacuum applied does not effectively draw the steam from the garment being pressed. A test device using the spacer plate of the present invention has been in operation for over 6 months, without substantial deterioration and without requiring replacement of the foam rubber pad. Not only is the cost of the replaced foam rubber pad substantial, but the time lost in reduced output due to deterioration of the pad, has been avoided.

I claim:

1. In a buck for a steam-heated press of the type comprising a compressible elastomeric pad, as the essential compressible element thereof, normally positioned close to the heated metal block of the buck, the improvement, comprising a porous spacer plate comprising a heavy wire mesh positioned between the elastomeric pad and the block, said porous spacer plate having the shape and curvature of the block of the buck and being constructed to support the pressure to be applied to the pad and to provide a layer of air between the pad and the block, said porous spacer plate also comprising a plurality of reinforcing rods which are symmetrically positioned and attached on the side of the wire mesh adjacent to the block, and

a screen wire mesh covering that surface of the spacer plate closest to the rubber pad.

2. The buck as defined in claims 1 wherein the buck also contains an insulating fabric extending between the rubber pad and the porous spacing plate.

3. The buck as defined in claim 1 wherein the buck also contains a layer of mineral fibers extending between the rubber pad and the porous spacing plate.

4. The buck as defined in claim I wherein the buck also contains a layer of insulating fabric and a layer of mineral fibers extending between the rubber pad and the porous spacing plate.

5. The buck as defined in claim 1 said spacer plate comprising a U-shaped metal border covering the free ends of the heavy wire mesh.

6. Spacer plate for the protection of that side of rubber pad adjacent to the block of a steam-heated pressing buck, comprising a heavy wire mesh having the shape and curvature of the block of a buck, a plurality of heavy rods symmetrically positioned longitudinally on one side of the heavy wire mesh, a screen wire mesh of substantially the same size and shape as the wire mesh attached to the other side of the latter, and a U- shaped metal rim covering the free ends of the heavy wire mesh. 

1. In a buck for a steam-heated press of the type comprising a compressible elastomeric pad, as the essential compressible element thereof, normally positioned close to the heated metal block of the buck, the improvement, comprising a porous spacer plate comprising a heavy wire mesh positioned between the elastomeric pad and the block, said porous spacer plate having the shape and curvature of the block of the buck and being constructed to support the pressure to be applied to the pad and to provide a layer of air between the pad and the block, said porous spacer plate also comprising a plurality of reinforcing rods which are symmetrically positioned and attached on the side of the wire mesh adjacent to the block, and a screen wire mesh covering that surface of the spacer plate closest to the rubber pad.
 2. The buck as defined in claims 1 wherein the buck also contains an insulating fabric extending between the rubber pad and the porous spacing plate.
 3. The buck as defined in claim 1 wherein the buck also contains a layer of mineral fibers extending between the rubber pad and the porous spacing plate.
 4. The buck as defined in claim 1 wherein the buck also contains a layer of insulating fabric and a layer of mineral fibers extending between the rubber pad and the porous spacing plate.
 5. The buck as defined in claim 1 said spacer plate comprising a U-shaped metal border covering the free ends of the heavy wire mesh.
 6. Spacer plate for the protection of that side of rubber pad adjacent to the block of a steam-heated pressing buck, comprising a heavy wire mesh having the shape and curvature of the block of a buck, a plurality of heavy rods symmetrically positioned longitudinally on one side of the heavy wire mesh, a screen wire mesh of substantially the same size and shape as the wire mesh attached to the other side of the latter, and a U-shaped metal rim covering the free ends of the heavy wire mesh. 